Should matters get more desperate, however, Ferentz may rethink that. Iowa, a hardscrabble 4-2 entering today's game at Penn State, currently has the thinnest backfield in the Big Ten.

Season-ending knee injuries claimed the Hawkeyes' three top backs: Marcus Schnoor, Albert Young and Jermelle Lewis. Last week, fourth-string back Marques Simmons sprained an ankle. Which means, fifth-string running back Sam Brownlee, a walk-on with 70 yards rushing on 23 carries this year, will carry the ball against Penn State.

Will that be enough? Maybe, judging by Iowa's performance the past two weeks.

After a rough patch in September, during which they lost road games at Arizona State and Michigan by a combined scored of 74-21, the Hawkeyes momentarily have righted their course. Guided by a quarterback Ferentz was uncertain about this past summer, Iowa dismantled Michigan State and Ohio State.

And now the Hawkeyes (2-1 Big Ten), find themselves a mini-run from returning to the Big Ten championship chase, though they conclude the season against Purdue, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

In front of this change is Drew Tate, whose past two weeks have tilted the nature of Ferentz football.

A sophomore, Tate began slowly in his first year as a starter, throwing for 400 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions through three games. Since beginning the Big Ten schedule, however, Tate has been better than Purdue's Kyle Orton.

Tate is averaging 313.7 yards passing per game, an anomaly at run-first Iowa. In the past two weeks he became just the third Iowa quarterback to post consecutive 300-yard games.

Because the offensive line is hobbled as well, Ferentz made Tate the offensive focus against Ohio State, rolling him out of the pocket and encouraging him to find receivers on the run.

Having not scouted such a plan -- Iowa had a bye the week before -- the Buckeyes could not quiet Tate, who threw for 331 yards and three touchdowns in a 33-7 victory.

"He moves around really well and is accurate.," Penn State coach Joe Paterno said. "He is really good at faking the football and taking advantage of situations. He is not the biggest kid in the world [6-0, 185] but he does a lot of things well. I just think he is getting better all the time."

That's evident when one looks at the three weeks between Iowa's 44-7 loss to Arizona State and its win over Ohio State. The Hawkeyes' offense produced 10 times as much offense against the Buckeyes (448) as it did against Arizona State (44).

"I did not look at the Arizona State tape," Paterno said. "I didn't want to look at them. I looked at the last two games where they have been a very, very impressive football team.

"Where they came from, I don't know. I know where they are now, because that is the team we have to play -- and right now they are playing very well."

Doing so without a proper running game -- Iowa ranks last in the Big Ten in yardage at 96.8 per game -- may haunt the team, particularly against Penn State's improved defense.

Tate likely will be see a rush designed to contain his movement and blitz packages designed to confuse him. Ferentz will want to give him some aid.

"One thing I don't want to do is become one-dimensional," Ferentz said. "We're not about to abandon the running game. We hope we can help [Tate] by developing a running game."